1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cosmetic preparation and method for applying the preparation to fingernails and toe nails.
2. Description of the Related Art
The art is crowded with various nail polish compositions and methods of applying nail art designs to fingernails. Such methods and compositions are no longer limited to a single, uniform color of nail polish applied to all of one's fingernails or toe nails. It is now commonplace to paint multi-color designs on each nail, sometimes adding sparkles, decals, and other design elements to enhance the overall appearance of the polished nails. This is usually done by airbrushing or free hand painting, both of which require a considerable degree of skill and artistic ability. For this reason, anything beyond conventional polishing of nails with a uniform color must usually be done by a professional at a nail salon.
Now that nail art has gone beyond the traditional single color and french manicure, new and more unusual appearances are becoming increasingly popular. The crackle appearance which results using the composition of the present invention is similar to an appearance known in the furniture industry for creating an antique finish. However, the crackle lacquer used in the furniture industry is not suitable for use in the cosmetic industry, as it contains a number of toxic components which present a health hazard. For this reason, crackle lacquers presently known in the art are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as a cosmetic product. And, while others may have attempted to achieve the crackle effect in a nail polish composition, it is believed that such attempts have been unsuccessful due to the difficulty in producing a non-toxic crackle composition which has physical characteristics that make it suitable for application by both brushing and spraying on fingernails and toe nails.
Accordingly, there is a need in the cosmetic industry for a non-toxic lacquer composition for application to fingernails and toe nails, either by brushing or spraying, and wherein the lacquer composition is physically structured to provide a crackle appearance upon drying. In fulfilling this need, the present invention provides for a non-toxic cosmetic preparation and method of applying the preparation to fingernails and toe nails, wherein the cosmetic preparation is structured to undergo a physical change upon drying to produce a crackle appearance.